08 September 2022
South African fibre broadband connectivity provider MetroFibre Networx has secured a R5bn (US$299.8m) loan from Standard Bank Group, which will enable the company to finance the expansion of its fibre network across the rainbow nation.
Competition has increased in the fibre segment since 2020, so the company is ramping up actions and investments to strengthen its position.
The funds will be used to extend MetroFibre’s fibre connectivity offering to homes and businesses in underserved communities across South Africa. It is also expected to help significantly increase MetroFibre’s reach.
Find out moreMTN Group in talks to buy rival Telkom
08 September 2022
MTN Group has entered negotiations to acquire Telkom, in a bid to become the dominant operator in the South African telecommunications market.
The former said the deal will be in shares or a combination of cash and shares, but “discussions are at an early stage and there is no certainty that the transaction will be consummated”.
Both companies made the announcement in statements issued via the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
The move comes four months after the release of Telkom’s 2021 annual financial report, in which the company revealed a 1.1% decline in revenue to R42,756m (US$2.5m). This decrease in the company’s turnover was slowed down by the growth of the mobile business, which compensated for the decline of the fixed and IT activities.
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Vodacom to invest R1bn in KwaZuluNatal network, keeping 100% of new SA tower subsidiary
08 September 2022
Vodacom will invest R1bn in its mobile network in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal this year, deploying additional sites and upgrading the network to improve access to reliable connectivity and high-speed telecom services.
As part of this investment program, R444m will be invested in radio access network (RAN) projects, while R135m will be invested in regional network capacity and upgrades. R85m will be spent on improving network resiliency, optimisation and operations, while R17.5m will be forked out on core network infrastructure upgrades and related projects. Vodacom is investing heavily in backup power projects to overcome grid disruptions related to load shedding, battery theft and vandalism.
Find out more Tanzania’s regulator tells telcos to improve service quality in 15 districts
08 September 2022
Telecommunications companies operating in Tanzania must improve the quality of their voice, data and SMS offerings, especially in 15 districts where the provision of these services fall below the necessary quality requirements.
The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) made this recommendation during a meeting with Vodacom Tanzania, MIC Tanzania (Tigo), Airtel, TTCL and Halotel, among others. They were told to put in place work plans to ensure service improvement in the 15 targeted areas.
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